(Recipe below.)
Sweet and refreshing, Horchata de Chufa is one of Spain's most famous drinks, made of ground chufa nuts (actually the roots of the chufa plant) grown in the Valle de Nito in Spain. Our chufa nuts are D.O. (Denomination of Origin) Valencian chufas, the finest you can buy, and ideal for making horchata.
Egyptians used chufa nuts in ancient times, and some documents indicate that chufa was also consumed by people in Asia. But, as with many other products, it was the Moors who first began cultivating chufa grass in Spain and originated the refreshing drink Horchata de Chufa from its tuberous roots.
La horchata de chufa is a Mediterranean product (completely different from Mexican horchata, which is made from rice). It is a favorite beverage in all of Spain, but particularly in Valencia, Murcia and Andalucía.
Ours are real chufas from Valencia, the finest you can find anywhere. This package of Chufa nuts is enough to make about 4 quarts/liters of Horchata.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 pound (250 gr – 1.5 cups) chufa nuts
- 1 quart (liter) of water
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- 1 tsp grated lemon peel (optional)
- About 1 cup of sugar (try less the first time - you can always add more!)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Soak the chufa nuts in water for 24 hours.
- In a blender, grind the nuts, water, cinnamon, sugar and lemon until you have an even, smooth mixture.
- Let it settle for a half an hour.
- Press the paste through a strainer to obtain fresh horchata.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Finish in the freezer for 20 minutes until slightly slushy.
Makes 1 quart/liter.
